A good cause

I recently came across this nice newsletter from the chamber of commerce and thought I'd share:

  President's Corner
- June - 2011

JUNE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Discovering your passion

By Rich Ballou

As a member of the Chamber of Commerce Board, one of my responsibilities is to attend ribbon cuttings for new chamber members.  These are always exciting occasions because usually the ribbon cuttings are for grand openings of new area businesses.  Opening a new business is a miraculous event because it represents the fulfillment of a dream and great optimism for the future.

However, I recently attended a ribbon cutting for a venture that was far from being a for-profit enterprise, yet it was no less miraculous.

This ribbon cutting was for a new playground at Burton Elementary School.  Built with 100 percent donated money and labor, the playground only includes a basketball court at present, but the funds are in the bank to install an incredible play structure.  The project should be totally completed in time for the start of the new school year.  

What will make this particular play structure incredible is it will be a “special needs play structure.”   This means it’s designed to be used and enjoyed by any child, even if they have a disability.  There is only one other such play structure in Eastern Idaho, so it is anticipated that parents with disabled children from throughout the region will travel to Rexburg to use it.

The project was spearheaded by the Burton Elementary Parent Teacher Organization (PTO).  The members are Alyssa Allen, Colleen Wadsworth, Kate Herzoff, Katie Allen, Kendra Angell, Kerry Wilcox, Jennifer South and Tisha Flora.

According to PTO President Kendra Angell, if the school district had paid to build the playground, it would have cost nearly $200,000. But thanks to roughly 50 major donors and volunteers, and hundreds more who contributed whatever amount they could, the facility won’t cost the taxpayers a single penny.

I may be wrong, but my guess is none of the PTO members had prior experience carrying out a major community endeavor like building this playground.  Most probably didn’t even initially know what they were getting themselves into.  Yet they are on the brink of achieving a remarkable accomplishment. 

The PTO’s efforts are a perfect example of what can happen when a group of concerned citizens identify a need and then join together to do something about it.  I’ve been lucky to witness this process successfully take place on a few occasions.  It’s always a wonderful phenomenon to behold.

It starts with a dream, which initially may appear as easy as building a bridge to the moon.  Despite all the naysayers who will tell them they’re wasting their time, the group will identify the first task that must be accomplished.  This task might be simple and seem inconsequential, but once it’s checked off the to-do list, an ever-so-tiny bit of momentum is started. 

That momentum gives the group enough confidence to move on to task No. 2, and then No. 3, and then 4, 5 and 6…  It’s usually somewhere between completing tasks 4 and 6 that the members of the group suddenly come to the amazing comprehension that their dream may actually come true.

That’s when passion is born!

When a group is empowered with true passion, you better either get on board or get out of their way, because nothing is going to stop them.  Passion makes people want to donate money or services.  Passion makes people want to volunteer.  Most of all, passion makes people want a piece of the action because your group is getting things done!

I saw passion in the tear-filled eyes of these PTO members, and it both humbled and inspired me. 

They didn’t do what they did for personal glory or primarily because the playground will benefit members of their immediate families.  While their kids will probably use the playground for a couple years, they will soon outgrow it. The playground’s true value will be realized by now unknown children in the decades to come.  Indeed they fulfilled Elton Trueblood’s admonition that man only begins to discover the meaning of life “when he plants shade trees under which he knows full well he will never sit.” 

I commend the Burton PTO members for their work.  We need more people like them.  If you find you’re spending more time complaining about what isn’t happening than you are doing something to make it happen, then maybe it’s time to get involved.  The power is within you to make your world a better place.  It begins with a dream and soon you too can discover your passion!

 

Rich Ballou

President

Rexburg Area Chamber of Commerce

Disclaimer: My name really should not be on that list. I didn't join the project until late in the game and have done very little to help with it. I haven't secured grants or jumped through any of the hoops that Kenda and the other ladies have. Mostly, I'm just a groupie to help with fundraisers and other PTO events. Even still, it's been awesome just to be along for the ride.